Pacific X
by StriderCrossing
Summary: In the year 21xx, reploids control even larger machinery known as Jaegers to take down the Kajiu, code name Mavericks.
1. Prologue: The Maverick Hunter

It's the year 21xx. We reploids are highly advanced and capable of our own means. With our evolution in technology came the Jaegers, even more advanced than us as we began work on the models. But with the marvel in technology, a tear in the sea formed. Between dimensions. We always thought monsters would come from the stars. Or fellow robots, infected by viruses.

Kaiju. Code name: Mavericks. Tall and powerful on an apocalyptic scale. Destruction and chaos were everywhere.

They're in their own dimension, and the vast ocean is what separates us from them. We began to fight back. It didn't take us long to realize we couldn't go out into the ocean with loaded busters and electric saber swords. The beasts, they were hundreds of feet taller. We were only the size of humans. So we used our knowledge of robotics. And the jaegers were born.

We became maverick hunters. Robots in control of even larger machinery, taking down the plague.

Reploids were celebrated as heroes. We were the saviors among the remainders of man-kind.

My name is X. I'm a trained Jaeger pilot. I'm destined to pilot Maverick Hunter. She's 250ft, strong, durable and absolutely beautiful. I do not yet know who I am drift compatible with, but in a few days I am destined to find out. I'm nervous. I'm trained and all, I know how drifting works but… how can I let someone in my head? Even I get flashbacks of my creator now and again and it hurts me a lot. Someone else besides the training droid is going to see that. And eventually, permanently see that every time we drift to cancel the apocalypse. But we will see. I mean, just the thought of piloting a 250ft ton of metal is scary. But if it's for the greater good of the world, then so be it.


	2. Chapter One: The Long Road Ahead

"X. Wake up."

Marshall Signas. Doesn't he know its 5am?

"Sir, its 5AM..."

"Exactly. Get up."

"Kaiju attack, sir?"

"No. At least not yet."

"Then why do I have to-"

"Training day."

"But sir, everyday is training day according to you..."

"X! Up and at em!"

I heaved myself out of the capsule, the weight of my metallic limbs going with me. We normally wake up early for training but not THIS early. There has to be something special about today. We can't be up at five in the morning JUST to train.

I pulled myself along the corridor and sighed. I hadn't charged well last night, not at all. We had stayed up until midnight training on a Kaiju drill. Teaching us things we already knew. Remain calm while piloting the Jaeger. This weapon works best. Etc, etc. It was absurd. I already knew all of this. But alas, why 5am? Five hours to charge simply isn't enough.

But I digress. I can't get kicked out of the compound. Signas is following behind me, monitoring my actions.

"Sir, why are we awake over an hour earlier than usual?"

"Today you must meet someone to pilot Maverick Hunter with you. You will spend the next week bonding with them, and find out if you're drift compatible with them."

"I get it but... still, why 5am?"

"X. Go and get a can of oil. Then come to the training room by 6."

"Sir-"

"That's an order."

My body still feels heavier than usual. Was it the burden of the day ahead? The five hours of charging? I do not know. But today is going to change my life. I will meant someone who is potentially, an ally or a friend. And if it all goes uphill from there, they may be my co-pilot in the Jaeger Maverick Hunter.

I walked into the canteen. I do not see the point in it if I'm completely honest. It's filled with food, but over three quarters of the Pan Pacific Defence Corps is us reploids, so what's the point? We have a very tiny number of human researchers here though. Due to the waves of Kaiju they are a dying race and we are here to 'protect what is left of them'

I just want peace. But this war is never going to end. We can only build so many jaegers against what may be infinite kaiju. I do fear for our future, but technically we are the future. The glistening hope for domestic reploids and humans everywhere, right? I'm not so sure anymore. I will do my best to bring this world justice, despite the violent means.

I see Cinnamon. She's such a lovely reploid and way too strong and talented to be working in this department of the base. Why Signas won't let her train to be a pilot is beyond me. It's such a shame. She could do amazing things for this world and this is the section they made her work in. I can't believe this.

"Hello." She nodded to me with a warm smile. "Just a can of oil, I assume? Or maybe you'd prefer an energy sub tank today?"

"I'll take the sub tank then. Thanks, Cinnamon."

"They're so rare now what with the scarce sources. Enjoy it for me, please." She sighed, passing it to me.

"I will. Thank you."

I walked out drinking it. God, how long had it been since I tasted one of these things? They certainly gave you much more energy than the basic cans of oil. Well, they were called ENERGY sub tanks for a reason. They just gave you a boost that was so much bigger and prepared you for the training way better. It's been years since I drank one of these things and I didn't even know they existed anymore. I smile a little, savouring it. Maybe there is light in this dark tunnel.

I wonder through the halls aimlessly for a while. They're all the same. They're gray and metallic and supposedly Kaiju proof. That's what they said about the wall. And you know what happened to the wall? It took less than an hour for the Kaiju, code named as The Shadow Devil. It took the Jaeger known as Storm Eagle to destroy it, but Storm Eagle and the reploids piloting were never seen again. We didn't rebuild the wall. We learned.

It's almost six. I throw the empty energy sub tank into the bin and walk into the training room. It's bustling with reploids. There's reploids hitting punching bags, reploids swinging swords, firing busters, examining Jaeger blue prints. I'm not quite sure where to begin.

"Good timing X, I want you to meet someone."

Out from behind Signas stepped a fairly tall reploid. His hair was long and blonde, done up in a pony tail. He too was wearing the basic tank top and training bottoms, and you could see the skin coloured metal on his arms and joints. In his hand he held a saber sword. I recognize him. I recognize him and I don't know how.

"Hello, X. My name is Zero. Signas has told me amazing things about you."

"Do I... know you?"

"I used to co-pilot Axle the Red with the Colonel. Does that sound familiar?"

"I mean... from somewhere else..."

"This is our first time meeting. You must have me mistaken for someone else."

"Yeah. I must..."

He seems familiar. As if we've met before. Maybe we were partners before. I had five hours to recharge last night, I must be hallucinating.

"So Zero... you're becoming a pilot again?"

"Yes. If we pass training together, and if we're drift compatible then we'll be piloting Maverick Hunter together." He held out his hand. "To acquaintanceship and to becoming good friends?"

I nod and shake his hand. He smiles at me.

"Keep it up and maybe one day, you'll be as strong as I am."

I laugh. That would be amazing. This guy is a legend in his own time. I shook to becoming friends, with the guy who has slain countless Kaiju in the famous Axle the Red? Even if we're not drift compatible, I am a very lucky reploid to become friends with such a great. I'm just... enchanted. I can't believe this. THE Zero? Surely I can't have met him before. Just seeing him now feels like a dream.

"So... are we going to spar or not?"

"Huh? Oh, right."

"Choose your weapon, X." Zero smirked, spinning his saber sword with unimaginable grace. It spun faster and faster until it was an unintelligible mess of neon green light, constantly spinning. How am I going to equal this guy in combat?

"Y...you're not going to use... THAT to spar with, are you?"

He laughed. "Maybe I will, maybe I won't."

I walked over to the rack of weapons on the wall and ran a hand through my messy brown hair. I stared. Most of them were buster extensions and for training we are required to be out of armour and in the training clothes previously mentioned. I see a bamboo pole. Thin, elegant, strong and durable. Perfect for sparring. I pick it up and squeeze it against my hand, and gently curl my fingers around it. Zero walked over and hung up his saber sword, thankfully exchanging it for another bamboo pole. Our weapons are equal but he is far more skilled than I.

Zero spins the bamboo pole around in the same way he did with his sword, smiling. I take a stance, holding the pole out in front of me. Signas stands near us, observing us with a neutral and calm look on his face. I gulp, and grip the pole tighter.

He aims his pole towards my body, I block with my own and they let off a clink sound in their collision.

"Hm. Smooth." He smiles.

"One to nothing." Signas announced.

Zero took a few steps back and I mirror him, pulling the bamboo pole closer to me so it was almost completely against my core. He charges towards me, and swings the bamboo pole with speed I can't even begin to comprehend. It hits my arm, before he picks me up and tosses me to the ground and points it towards me with a smile.

"You need to work on your speed and reflexes, X."

"One all."

I climb to my feet and wipe away the small bit of oil trickling from my mouth, and hold the pole up again. Zero just stands there, smirking.

"Are you going to-" I begin.

"No. Go ahead. Take your best shot at me."

I dash at him, pole in hand and I swing it at his head and he almost spontaneously lifts his own pole and that clank noise is made again. He then spins it right into my elbow before I have time to react again.

"Sparring is like a dance with death, and you should never trust your partner." He smirks again.

"Two to one."

"You better watch yourself, X. Focus." He tells me, taking a stance with his pole directly in front. My hand grasped the pole so tight I thought the pole was about to snap in half and I charged with a jump, and all Zero had to do was hold out his pole for it to hit my leg. I landed behind him and swiftly hit his back with mine, before he could gain physical advantage over me once more.

"Three to Zero, Two to X."

"Are we done?" I ask, looking down as I clutch the pole with two hands now.

"You're tired already?" He smirks.

"I only got five hours charging time last night, jackass."

Zero held back a laugh at what I called him.

"That's sir jackass to you, X."

I also tried to hold back a laugh, to no avail and we just ended up dropping our bamboo poles, laughing like young children. He walked up to me and curled his hand into a fist, and I hit my hand with my own fist.

"Good spar, X."

"To you too. You're extremely talented, sir jackass."

He burst out laughing again, Signas shaking his head in disapproval.

"No but seriously, X. I can feel it in my core. We're drift compatible. I just know we are."

"I felt it too. Our movements are in sync."

Signas nodded approvingly.

"You two will go for a test pilot in Maverick Hunter first thing tomorrow. 4am."

"FOUR?" I looked at him like he was mad.

"Yes X, 4am. I advice you got to charge earlier tonight."

"I would, if you didn't keep us up until midnight teaching us stuff we-" I feel Zero's hand go over my mouth.

"X, calm down buddy."

Buddy? Zero... called me his buddy? I felt an excitement brew inside of me.

"No, Zero. The boy has a point."

I pushed Zero's hand off my mouth, pouting.

"I'M NOT A BOY! I'M A TRAINED JAEGER PILOT!"

Signas laughed at this, shaking his head.

"You two take it easy for the rest of the day. Tomorrow's a big day, of course."

Zero placed his hand on my shoulder and we walked out of the training room and into the dull metallic corridors once more. I looked up at him and he smiled.

"Wait, are we seriously friends now?"

"Yep. We've got a long road ahead of us, buddy."

Zero. Zero the great, considers me his friend. Zero, who I got to spar with. Zero, who is going to be my co-pilot, wake me up because I must be dreaming, still in status.

"I'm nervous about tomorrow, Zero."

"Sir jackass?" He grinned again. I expected him to be very pretentious given his career with Axle the Red, but he's almost just like me in a way.

"I'm nervous about tomorrow, sir jackass. "

"Don't be. It'll be just like piloting a Jaeger with the training reploid. But better, of course."

I smile and nod. Zero will understand my flashbacks. He's a great guy. It's a long road ahead of us, indeed...


End file.
